CANAAN, VERMONT MUNICIPAL PLAN Adopted by Australian Ballot
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CANAAN, VERMONT MUNICIPAL PLAN Adopted by Australian Ballot March 6, 2012 CANAAN MUNICIPAL PLAN TABLE OF CONTENTS 2011 PAGE I. INTRODUCTION . 5 II. TOWN PROFILE . 6 A. Population . 7 1. Historic Trends . 7 2. Population Projections . 7 B. Natural Resource Factors . 8 1. Soils . 8 2. Steep Slopes . 9 3. Prime Agricultural Land . 9 4. Forest Lands . 9 5. Connecticut River . 9 6. Streambanks . 9 7. Flood Plain Areas . 10 8. Wallace Pond Area . 10 9. Air Quality . 10 10. Scenic Values . 10 C. Policies . 10 1. Analysis of Compatibility . 10 2. Scenic, Natural and Historic Features . 11 3. Statement of Policies . 11 III. LAND USE . 12 A. Present Land Uses . 12 1. Agriculture . 12 2. Forestry . 12 3. Commercial . 12 4. Industrial . 13 5. Year-Round Residential . 13 6. Seasonal Residential and Camps . 13 7. Federal and State Agency Properties . 14 8. Proposal . 14 TABLE OF CONTENTS (CONT’D) B. Proposed Land Uses . 14 1. The Tillotson Land Proposal . 14 2. Zoning Districts . 15 a. Industrial . 15 b. Residential-Commercial. 15 c. Residential One-Half . 15 d. Residential One . 16 e. Residential Two . 16 f. Agricultural. 16 g. Rural Lands. 16 h. Wallace Pond District. 16 i. Flood Hazard Areas . 16 j. Proposal . 16 IV. FACILITIES AND SERVICES . 17 A. Town Buildings . 17 B. Town Properties . 18 C. Educational Facilities . 19 D. Water Supply . 21 E. Water Pollution Control . 22 F. Transportation . 23 G. Fire Protection . 24 H. Police Protection . 25 I. Solid Waste Disposal . 25 J. Road Maintenance . 26 K. Library . 27 L. Health Facilities and Services . 28 M. Energy . 29 N. Communications and Media . 30 O. Renewable Energy . 33 I. INTRODUCTION This Plan is intended to provide the basis for the enactment of local land use controls that will guide the future development of Canaan. It is hoped that this Plan will ensure that growth in Canaan will benefit rather than burden the community. The original Town Plan was written in 1979. Vermont statutes require that Town Plans be updated every five years. Canaan’s Planning Board began the review process during the winter of 2011 and on March 30, 2011 the Board mailed out 598 surveys to every registered voter and to every taxpayer of the Town of Canaan. The completed surveys were returned by mid April and the Board was pleased with the return rate of 35.9%. Survey results were tabulated and the public was invited to a June meeting where the results were shared. There were many great ideas included as narratives by the respondents. The Planning Board has tried to incorporate many of the general ideas in our ongoing reviews and some of the specific tabulations are included in this revision. It’s important to the Planning Board that the Canaan Town Plan be a true reflection of the ideas of the citizens of Canaan. We have maps available for public use in the Town Office that feature roads, water and sewer lines, electrical power lines, town buildings and properties, public buildings and other information about the villages of Canaan and Beecher Falls. With all the information gathered, the Planning Commission has developed several growth policies. These policies are not intended to remain static. Conditions and trends will inevitably change and growth policies will need to be revised accordingly. The Regional Planning Commission will assist us as development trends and plans for adjacent towns change. Planning is a continuing process and this Plan simply represents the current state of that process in Canaan. II. TOWN PROFILE Canaan is located in the extreme northeastern corner of Vermont in the County of Essex. It is bounded on the north by the Province of Quebec, Canada; on the east by the Connecticut River and the Towns of Clarksville, Stewartstown and Colebrook, New Hampshire; and on the west and south by the Towns of Norton, Averill, and Lemington, Vermont. The land area of Canaan is 21,992 acres. Canaan had a population of 972 as of the 2010 census. There are two unincorporated villages in the Town of Canaan: Beecher Falls and Canaan, of which Canaan is the larger. Beecher Falls is on the Canadian border approximately one mile northeast from the village of Canaan. The majority of Canaan is hilly woodland. Open farmland runs along.